There's a big difference between 12lbs being lifted in a fixed press (or whatever) and a 12lb weight being dangled around one side of your body. I used to be able to bench 250 easy, heck, even curled 50-oddlbs dumbells for 10 reps, but I had to sell my approximately 11lb Alembic because it aggravated the 2 prolapsed discs in my back. Anybody who called me a sissy because of that would have found said Alembic inserted where the sun don't shine. I sincerely hope you never find out what it is to have chronic back problems. When your back is fine it's easy to dismiss such things, but my quality of life is getting worse all the time and I had to sell a bass I waited 20-odd years to get because of back problems. Anyone who can still wear a bass over 9lbs, just think yourselves lucky.